Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Byzantinische Zeitschrift, cilt.117, sa.1, ss.35-60, 2024 (AHCI)
In 2021, excavations were carried out in the Roman Villas Sector of the ancient city of Tralles around the remains of a building called the Hall with Apse. Two terracotta ampullae, one of which is broken, eight glass unguentaria, three of which are preserved compleely, and two bronze coins were found on the mosaic floor in a square space located behind the apse. The broken ampulla has a cross motif in a medallion on a partially preserved side. The other ampulla, which is preserved completely, has half-length holy figures with inscriptions on both sides. The inscriptions indicate that one of the figures is St. Andrew while the other is unknown. The glass unguentaria are characterised by their small size, long tubular necks and conical bodies. The function of the mosaic-floored room is not known, but it may be surmised that it may have been used for the storage of objects brought after a holy pilgrimage. The ampullae possibly originated from Ephesus, the main pilgrimage centre and ampulla production site in the region. The small size of the glass unguentaria as well as the fact that they were found together with the ampullae suggest that they may have been used as a type of eulogia. Of the coins recovered with the finds, one is probably a half follis from the 6th century, the other belongs to the reign of Emperor Justinian I (527-565). These coins are the most important dating source for the other site finds. In addition, a comparative evaluation of ampulla and unguentarium specimens unearthed during excavations in western Anatolia also supports this dating.